The Customer Communicator Web Extras

Each month, The Customer Communicator gives frontline reps the skills and motivation they need to serve every customer with poise and professionalism.

We often have valuable background material, additional information, or
related resources that we just cant fit in the newsletter. These are
presented below.

September 2017

Communicate with coworkers — How well do you communicate with your coworkers? Take this quiz to see what communication skills you might need to work on.

August 2017

Relieve stress and unleash creativity —
August 2 is National Coloring Book Day. Try this creative way to relax and unwind with downloadable coloring pages from Dover, a leading coloring book publisher. (Registration is required.)

June 2017

May 2017

Become an effective coach — May 1 is celebrated as Executive Coaching Day, but the benefits of coaching — and being coached — should be celebrated from the front lines to the executive suite. Customer service reps, in particular, should look for others who might coach or mentor them and for those who might benefit from their own coaching. Get started coaching with these five tips on how to mentor new or inexperienced coworkers.

April 2017

Keep workplace conflict in check — Conflicts with managers or coworkers can be more disruptive than conflicts with customers. April is Workplace Conflict Awareness Month and a good time to brush up on conflict resolution skills.

March 2017

Get yourself motivated! — Working in customer service can be stressful and de-motivating. Its Employee Spirit Month, so we have suggestions from our Ask the Panel column on
how to stay motivated on the job.

February 2017

Build better relationships — February is Relationship Wellness Month, use the occasion to focus on the relationships you have with customers, and the perceptions that customers have of your company. Try using the LIFE acronym.

Use caution when delivering bad news to customers — Click to visit Evan Horowitzs website, which offers more advice on delivering bad news to customers, including sample scripts for delivering bad news (scroll to the bottom of the page for access to the scripts).

January 2017

December 2016

Start setting goals for 2017 — Goal setting is usually reserved for January and those perennial New Years Resolutions, but starting in December offers an even better opportunity to review both the past years results and the next years goals. Try these four techniques.

Tips for good vocal health — The most important tool for a phone service rep is the voice, so its important to keep that voice strong and healthy throughout the day and throughout the year. Learn more.

November 2016

Start a book club with fellow reps — November 1 is National Authors Day. Start your book club or reading list with these suggestions.

September 2016

Positive language keeps customer interactions positive — Print and pin up our word cloud, with a sampling of positive words and phrases to use with customers.

August 2016

What will be your legacy? — August is What Will Be Your Legacy Month, and that makes it the perfect time to reflect on the impact that your work and your attitude in the workplace have on others. This reps story, from the archives of The Customer Communicator, demonstrates the importance of thinking about the legacy that you will leave.

July 2016

Focus on social wellness — Building positive relationships starts with a good first impression. Heres how.

Avoid confusion, misunderstanding and frustration with good listening This mini-poster features four of our favorite quotes about the importance of listening. Hang it as is, or cut apart and rotate the quotes to keep the reminders fresh.

June 2016

May 2016

Keep wellness top of your must-do list — How can you stay positive and avoid stress in the workplace? Here is a list of workable ideas from the readers of The Customer Communicator.

Spring cleaning for the soul — Click here for a convenient worksheet for recording your work, family, and personal goals.

April 2016

Let laughter brighten your day — Laughter lowers our blood pressure, gives our minds a mini-vacation, and helps us take control of our emotions during and after stressful situations. Try these seven ways to share a smile.

December 2014

November 2014

Whos your role model? — Finding a role model in your organization can help you to identify the attitude and behaviors you need to adopt in order to succeed. Here are some characteristics you should be looking for.

September 2014

August 2014

Ramp up your service to seniors — Older customers are becoming an increasingly large part of the total customer population for many companies. Here are additional tips on how to work effectively with older customers.

July 2014

Set goals for the next half of the year — Serious goal-setting efforts should include an understanding of the why behind specific goals. Here are tips on how to include that perspective in your goal-setting.

June 2014

Communication tops the agenda — Expand and sharpen your communication skills this month by keeping the following different types of listening in mind when communicating with customers.

May 2014

May is civility month — How civil are you when it comes to your dealings with other people? The following self-test will help you gauge your civility score and understand how your words and actions are impacting others.

April 2014

How do you respond to stress? — April is Stress Awareness Month. Are you ready to handle the job-related stress that comes your way? Here are three helpful exercises.

March 2014

Are you an effective listener? — To be able to listen effectively is a critical skill for customer service people. To assess your skills, try this listening skills self-quiz and keep in mind the recommendations of Joe Takash, author of Results Through Relationships.

January 2014

Put it in writing — Sending personal notes to customers is one way to show your appreciation for their business and to help build more long-lasting relationships. Heres an example of how The Readers Digest Association thanked customers during Customer Service Week.

December 2013

Use December to take a look back. People who use goal-setting effectively have lower levels of stress and anxiety and higher levels of performance. Use these practical tips to set your personal and professional goals.

November 2013

Giving thanks — The Customer Communicator newsletter suggests that we use the Thanksgiving season as a time to show our appreciation to coworkers. Here are some dos and donts for showing your appreciation.

Do what you can to create a culture of motivation in the workplace — In this months issues of The Customer Communicator and SkillSharpener, Dr. Bob Nelson of RecognitionPRO offers suggestions to reps on how they can motivate themselves and to managers on how they can create a culture of motivation. In the following excerpt from Nelsons 1501 Ways to Reward Employees, he offers additional advice to managers on how they can leverage low-cost recognition tools for the greatest impact.

September 2013

What goals do you have for yourself? —
The ability to motivate yourself begins with clearly defined goals. In recognition of Self-Improvement Month, Professor Burton shares his goal-setting checklist.

August 2013

Make em laugh — With National Tell-a-Joke Day happening this month, the
August issue of The Customer Communicator covered how to inject a little
humor into the work day. Here are three humorous true tales of service
misunderstandings.